


Octopus's Garden

by PatchworkDragon



Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-03-18
Updated: 2003-03-18
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:47:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkDragon/pseuds/PatchworkDragon
Summary: group friendship fluff set in that golden era when we still thought they would get back together





	1. Chapter 1

Joey flipped his phone open while taking the corner at just above the speed limit. "Yo?"

"Joey, where the fuck are you? You were supposed to be here at 7:00, and it's 7:30." 

  
"Chill, Jus. Just some last minute kid stuff. I'm just coming round the corner now. And I didn't bring anything ‘cause you said not to." 

  
"You're good. Just get your ass inside and upstairs." *click* 

  
Joey pulled into JC’s driveway behind Lance and Justin's cars and walked to the side entrance. 'Either Chris is late, or he got a ride,' he mused. Chris was a firm believer in making the others drive him places. He probably rode with Lance. 

  
As he punched in the alarm code, he wondered to himself, 'Upstairs? Why would they be upstairs? Just bedrooms up there.' He heard voices as he climbed the stairs and used the sound to guide him to JC's bedroom. 

  
"Whoa, C, you redecorated again." 

  
"Isn't it great? It's like sleeping under the ocean." JC grinned, arms spread as if to embrace the blue-green walls. 

  
"It's fucking creepy!" Justin called from where he lay sprawled on the bed alongside Chris. "Even the fucking light is blue -- man, it makes me sick."

  
"It makes me ill, to see..." Chris got about that far before Justin clapped a hand over his mouth. Lance's voice picked up the lyric where Chris left off -- “to see your gills” -- and Joey turned his head to see the bass lounging on a chaise under a huge aquarium and pointing at the opposite wall. Joey grinned and JC giggled. 

  
Joey's grin faded as he turned to see what Lance was pointing at. "Fuck, JC, what is it?" Joey could not think of any time he had ever seen more colors together on one wall at the same time. 

  
"It's a mural, stupid. See, there's all different fish that I copied from a book, and there's a shark and some starfish over here..."  
"You can call me starfish, but all I want is your love," sang Justin from the bed.

  
“You painted that?" Joey tried to sound amazed, rather than... well, he wasn't exactly sure yet how he felt. 

  
"All by myself. Took weeks. I had to sleep in another room because the fumes got to me." 

  
"I think they got to you while you were painting, man," Justin called out. 

  
"It's um... really... complicated." Which was the only thing Joey could think of that was not unmistakably an insult. "That's a lot of different fish."

  
"I had to buy something like seventy different colors of paint. I'm not too good at mixing to get the color I need. But at the paint store, you just bring a sample and they can make any color you want." 

  
"I bet you have a lot left over, huh?" Chris said hopefully. "We could paint murals on the outside of your house, too. I'll help." 

  
JC shook his head. "Sorry, Chris. Lance found me found a charity that takes donations of building materials and they took all the leftovers."  
Justin shot an accusatory glance at Lance. "Bass, did you aid and abet JC in this creation?" 

  
"Nah, just an accessory after the fact. Helped him fence the goods," Lance said with a grin. "Besides, I kind of like the room. If you lie on this sofa thing here, you can watch the fish and it's almost like they're above you. Reminds me of that place in Atlantis." 

  
"This from the man with a Dr. Seuss room," scoffed Justin.

  
Chris got off the bed and crossed over to the aquarium, where he lay down on the chaise and, incidentally, on Lance. "You're right, it's cool from this angle. I should get something like this in my house. Maybe in the bathroom." Joey had to agree that the tank was cool. It was built into the wall and the exposed side was curved outward so the fish could actually swim over your head as you lay on the chaise.

  
"You're getting too fat to lie on people, Chris," Lance complained. But Joey noticed that his arm was wrapped around Chris's waist to keep him from slipping off and he had that wistful little smile that meant he was thinking things he thought he shouldn't be thinking. Chris, of course, ignored the protest and continued to wax poetic about the beauty of the fish. 

  
"So guys, what's the plan?" Joey asked as he turned towards the others. “Kelly says you asked permission to keep me out all night. You do know Steve is throwing the bachelor party, don't you? And it's way too soon for that anyway." 

  
"This is different." JC glided over to drape himself over Joey's shoulder. "Just us, you know. Just some group time."  
   
"’Cause we know we're not gonna get a lot of that in the near future," Lance said, counting off the reasons on his fingertips. "With all our projects, JC's album, your album and wedding, Justin's tour, and Chris's... What the fuck have you been doing Chris?" Joey knew Lance was just messing with Chris; there was never a time when Lance didn't know what every one of them was up to. Especially Chris. 

  
"Same thing I do every night -- try to take over the world!" Chris crowed. 

  
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Justin asked. 

  
"I think so, but how can we get Carson Daly to wear a tutu?" Lance asked, only slightly muffled by Chris squirming around on top of him. 

  
"I think so, but where can we get that much bondage gear at this hour of the night?" Chris finished his question from the floor, where Lance unceremoniously dumped him. 

  
"I think so, but I'm not sure it's legal in this state." JC always used that one. 

  
"I think so, but puce is so out this year." Joey was ashamed he hadn't been able to think of a better one. It had been a long time since they'd played this game. 

  
"I think so, but we promised Lance he'd never have to wear drag again." Chris ran across the room to find cover and ducked behind Justin. 

  
"I think so, but there are already enough fish in this room," Justin added. 

  
JC said, "I think so, but where would we put all the excess cheese?" 

  
"I think so, but how would we lure Britney into the shark tank?" Justin still sounded a wee bit bitter to Joey. 

  
“I think so, but JC gave all the paint to charity," Lance said, reaching around Justin to grab Chris by the arm and pull him down onto the bed. 

  
"I think so, but I'm not sure we'd all fit in the bathtub," Joey said, laughing so hard he could barely speak. 

  
Justin, knocked off balance by the two combatants, wrapped an arm around Joey. "It's gonna be crazy for a while, and you'll be spending more time with your girls. So, y'know, we're gonna miss you," Justin said. "That's what this is about. You're the special one tonight.”

  
Joey smiled and let Justin push him towards the bed. Being the 'special one' meant backrubs, your favorite food, and lots of attention. They'd started the tradition back in Germany, and it had become the way they comforted one of their own after a breakup, or celebrated a triumph, or just welcomed someone home after a long separation. 

  
JC skipped - a grown man, skipping - over to the small table near the fish tank chaise. He returned more sedately with a full tray that he set on the bench at the foot of the enormous bed. Joey tried to see, but Chris had started to rub his shoulders and pulling away enough to see what was on the tray just didn't seem worth it. Music started, some piano instrumental that Joey didn't recognize. He never could get into music without words. 

  
"I've got some oil, Chris," JC offered, and Justin began to pull Joey's shirt off. They all moved around, until Joey was laying on his stomach shirtless, propped up by a pile of pillows under his chest. He could count at least four hands massaging him and JC was sitting on the bench in front of him, still fussing with the tray he had brought over. 

  
"So what've you got there, C?" he asked. 

  
"Some treats for you. Did you eat dinner? Are you hungry?" 

  
"Are you kidding? When is the human garbage disposal not hungry?" scoffed Chris. 

  
"You're supposed to be nice to me tonight," Joey protested, kicking out towards Chris's voice. 

  
"Ow! Hey!" 

  
"Sorry, Lance. Wasn't aiming for you." 

  
"Justin, you better get his shoes off before he causes any serious damage," JC suggested. 

"And my ribs aren't serious?" Lance asked in mock offense. 

  
Joey grunted as someone flopped onto his back. "Hey, is this a backrub or a wrestling match?"

  
JC looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Definitely a wrestling match," he replied solemnly. "Or possibly a tickle fight," he added as Lance's giggles joined Justin's. The bed shook and Joey twisted around to look behind him. 

  
Justin and Chris had Lance pinned down across Joey's legs, Chris sitting in front of their victim and clasping Lance’s hands tightly above their heads. Justin was sort of half sitting on their legs, tickling Lance's exposed side where his shirt was bunched up. Joey couldn't allow his best friend to be ganged up on like that, so he pushed with his legs to roll them off before diving into the fray himself. JC picked up the tray and set it at a safe distance from the battle before joining in. 

  
Some indeterminate time later, as they all lay panting on (or in JC's case halfway on) the bed, Joey knew he had won because he was on top. Mostly on top, anyway, with JC's legs on top of his. But since JC was bent backwards with his head on the floor, he was disqualified. Those bony elbows under his butt must belong to Justin, he thought, and Chris and Lance had as usual managed to wind up smashed together on the bottom of the pile. Joey suspected that many of their tickle fights were instigated by one or both of the two looking for just this result. 

  
"Since JC's mostly off the bed anyway, he has to go get the food," Lance decreed. JC rolled gracefully into a ball and kept right on rolling until he was standing upright. 

  
"You think we could work that move into something for the next tour?" Justin asked as he tried to crawl out from under Joey. 

  
"I'm not sure any of us could manage it. JC has got extra vertebrae or something. All you've got is those bony-ass elbows of yours, which you are going to stop poking into my ass right about now," Joey answered. 

  
"Well, if you'd get your fat ass off my elbows, they wouldn't be poking you," Justin retorted, finally wriggling free to stand beside the bed. 

  
Joey rolled off of the other two, leaving Chris free to chase Justin. "Show me those 'ass-elbows', Man! Are there really elbows on your bony ass?" he chortled as he attempted to pull down Justin's jeans. 

  
"I'm gonna go downstairs and get some cold drinks. Any special requests?" JC asked. 

  
"Beer!" chorused Chris and Justin. 

  
"Whatever, man," Joey said. 

  
"You know what I like," said Lance. 

  
As JC left the room, Joey gestured over to the two engaged in a tickle fight on the far side of the room. 

"What's with you and the freak these days?" 

  
Lance did his best confused look. "What do you mean? There's nothing between us." 

  
"You sure? ‘Cause that sounded a bit bitter, you know. Just a bit." Joey was not going to let Lance hide anything from him. 

 

Lance sighed. "Same thing that's been between us for years, Joey" 

  
"Has he said anything about it since he walked out when you tried to talk to him about it?” 

  
"Just some little Chris-comment stuff. Just trying to remind me that I gave up the Fine Kirkpatrick Ass." Joey wasn't too sure about the Chris thing, but Lance was his best friend. If Lance wanted a serious relationship with the freaky midget, then in Joey's opinion Lance should get all the midget loving he desired. 

  
There was a knock on the bedroom door and Joey just managed to beat Justin (who easily pushed Chris off of him) there. He opened the door to find JC with a precarious armload of cans, bottles, and glasses. After he helped JC pass out the drinks, leaving the extras on a little table near the fish tank, Joey looked back over towards Lance. He was leaning on the seashell headboard, with Chris sitting between his legs and leaning back on his chest. One of Lance's hands was on Chris's hip, while the other held a glass of amber liquid. Chris was chatting animatedly with Justin as he drank his beer, while Lance was smiling sadly into Chris’s hair. 

  
Joey nudged JC. "You talked to Chris about that at all?" 

  
"About what?" JC asked in the same low voice. "You mean the Lance thing?" 

  
"Oh, is he admitting it's a thing now?" 

"Cut the man some slack," JC protested. "He got burned so badly before." 

  
"Hey you two!" Chris called out, and they turned guiltily toward the bed. "No private conversations. It's time for the illegal portion of the festivities," he continued, holding up a bag and a pipe. 

  
Joey realized that there would be no serious talk with Chris tonight and allowed JC to pull him over to the others on the bed. Chris filled the pipe and soon the familiar smell of marijuana filled the room. 

  
"Dude, what is that on your ceiling?" Everyone else looked up as Joey spoke. 

  
"Fish!" JC responded proudly. "I had to do a lot of research to find out what they looked like from underneath. And I had a scaffolding to lie on, just like Michelangelo." 

  
"Those don't look much like fish." Chris frowned, wriggling around into a more comfortable position on top of Lance. 

  
"No, I can see what he was going for," Justin said, ever loyal to JC. Joey thought that the marijuana was making the painting more fishlike with every passing minute. 

  
"It's like being under the sea," Justin said happily. 

  
"I'd like to be…" Chris sang.

  
"Under the sea…" Lance and Joey joined in. "In JC Chasez's bedroom, in the shade." 

  
"In JC's Chasez's bedroom, in LA," JC corrected as walked towards the fish tank. 

  
"We could dance…" Justin sang, standing up to demonstrate. 

  
"In our underpants…" Chris continued. Joey felt grateful that Chris did not feel a need to demonstrate as well. 

  
"In JC Chasez's bedroom…" they all chorused. 

  
"With Lance," JC added with a bright smile. 

  
JC brought a tray of snacks back over to the bed, offering it first to Joey as he sang, "We could eat..." 

"And kick our feet!" Joey answered, as he took some little thingy he hoped was chicken. 

Everyone joined him for, "In JC Chasez's bedroom..." 

  
"On repeat," added Justin. Joey sincerely hoped not -- though it was fun. 

  
"We would shout, and lie about, the bed that lies beneath the ocean waves!" Chris had a little trouble getting the line to fit the song, but the others obligingly added the harmony. "Oh what joy, for every NSync boy, knowing that we're happy and we're safe." 

  
Joey took over lead on the last verse. "We would be, so happy you and me, no PR there to tell us what to do." Justin grinned and offered him a high five.   
They all sang the final chorus together. "I'd like to be, under the sea, in JC Chasez's bedroom, in LA." 

  
"Maybe we can do a cover of that on the tour," Chris suggested when he had stopped laughing enough to speak. 

  
"Hey, we agreed. No talking about the tour or the album tonight. No business at all." Lance pulled himself out from under Chris to reach the tray JC held.   
Joey looked down at the thing he had taken from the tray and asked JC dubiously. "Did you make these?" He knew JC's cooking well enough to be worried.   
"Nah, dude, don't worry. Lance had it catered." 

  
Relieved, Joey popped the thing into his mouth, then grabbed another and ate that one too. "These are good. Lance, could you let Kelly know about this caterer? She's going crazy over all this wedding stuff." 

  
"Have her give Beth a call. I don't even know their name," Lance admitted. 

  
"People always go on about how you know everyone and can get anything taken care of. If only they knew it was all Beth." Justin said with a wink  
.   
Chris jumped to Lance's defense with a flying tackle and a few well chosen words. "Nothing wrong with delegation. Choosing the right assistant is a sign of competence, too." Joey leaned over to avoid being caught in the path between Chris and Justin. 

  
Ignoring the idiots rolling on the floor, Joey asked Lance and JC, "Isn't this the height of popstar decadence? We've got catered munchies!" The three of them dissolved into giggles. Joey smiled up into the fish bellies on the ceiling. He was sure now that his upcoming wedding would not change a thing. Not that he’d really been worried. He could not imagine a world in which he didn't have this group, these friends, to rely upon no matter what.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Some hours, two pipes, and several beers later, Joey realized he was nodding off, and looked around. Justin was sprawled on the chaise, talking sleepily with Chris. Lance lay mostly under Chris on the floor, singing sad, 'someone stole my truck and my dog and my girl' type of country songs. Which was about stage 3 of stoned Lance. Not that they had named and numbered the stages of Lance under the influence back in Germany or anything like that. 

Joey himself was lying on the bed, spooned around JC. As Joey sat up, JC uncurled and looked at the others. 

"Guys?" JC said softly. "You all ready for bed now?"

Chris pushed himself off of his Lance-pillow, prompting a change in the song. "I think Space Cowboy here is down for the count, but I'm not ready for bed yet."  
"Me either." said Justin. "I wanna stay up some more, since I'll be on a plane most of tomorrow anyway. And then I won't be able to see any of you until Challenge."

Joey stood and went over to Lance. "C'mon, buddy. Bedtime." he said as he pulled up the nearly liquid man. "JC, where should I put him."

"Let me show you" JC answered, leading the way out of the bedroom. When the door had closed behind them, JC pointed to the end of the hall.  
"Let's put him down there, It's the quietest."

"Also the furthest." Joey observed, as he attempted to walk with Lanced draped over him. "Hey there, cowboy, watch the goods! I'm the straight one, remember?" Lance had evidently reached his horny stage.

Together, they managed to get Lance into bed with a minimum of groping. Joey kissed his forehead as he pulled the blankets up over his friend. He looked up to see JC smiling at them.

Out in the hall, Joey said to JC. "Man, if I weren't so straight..."

"If you weren't so straight, and if I hadn't grabbed you myself back before we had Lance, you and Lance could be together. We all know this. But that's not the point. You are straight and Lance and I are so not right for each other. Besides, he's been in love with Chris for years. Chris is scared, that's all. And you know, Fleetwood Mac? Culture Club? Can you say Behind the Music? Lots of reasons to be worried about a serious relationship within the group." Joey was no longer surprised that JC made more sense stoned than sober. Or maybe being stoned made it easier to follow JC.

"But Lance is hurting." In his current state, Joey was far more concerned about his best friend's happiness than about group harmony. "He's not going to wait forever you know. What would it do to the group if after they came this close to getting together for real, Lance gave up and found someone else? The Bass was not designed to be single, we've all seen it." 

"Man, I know what you mean." JC agreed. "Some of the people he's ended up with to avoid being single... Freddy" he shuddered. 

"Do not speak that name in my presence, dude." Joey replied. "Im'a talk to Chris tonight. If we go into the studio like this something's gonna blow up."  
"Maybe let me do it. You'll just kick his ass and that won't help anything."

"I'm not gonna kick his ass. If anyone understands fear of intimacy, it's me. Ten years to get my head out of my ass. I just want to speed up the process for Chris."

~~~~

Back in the room, Justin asked "What's up with you and Lance, man? You guys break up or something?"

"We were never together, idiot. Just fucking around. So how could we break up?"

"Well, you look like you're well into your usual break-up bender, and Lance is just watching you with sad little puppy-eyes. Dude, it's just wrong. Lance should never have sad puppy-eyes. I do the sad puppy-eyes best; and Joey can make it work, but Lance? So not good at the puppy-eyes. JC, though, he can do it sometimes. You're probably better at it than me, even. Lance shouldn't even try that shit." Justin realized he had a tendency to ramble when stoned, but who didn't?

Chris, however, had a tendency to get maudlin at the slightest excuse when stoned; and apparently he felt he had a more than slight excuse tonight.

"He just feels sorry for me. Just making sure I'm ok after he dumped me. Feels guilty for breaking my heart or some shit."

Justin tried to frame a response that encompassed the contradiction between Chris's assertion that they were never going out, and thus by definition no break-up was possible; and on the other hand his complaint about being dumped. But somewhere in the middle of the thought his attention was caught by a particularly shiny fish swimming by in the tank above his head, and all he managed was "That's not what it looks like."

Chris sat up and scowled at him. "What else could it be? Our 'arrangement' was always temporary, only when we're both single, only when it's convenient, never if it affects the group. I'm the idiot who thought maybe it could be more this time 'round."

Justin spoke slowly, trying to be absolutely clear about this. "You told him you wanted to be together for real, and he dumped you? Lance?"

"As if. He never even gave me the chance to tell him. I walked in and he started this whole speech about wanting more than he could have with me. Friends with benefits not enough anymore, needing to act his age." Chris forced his voice to go as deep as it could "'I want to try a real relationship, Chris. I want someone to share my life with.'" Chris sighed, and spoke more naturally. "I just hope he's happy with whoever-the-fuck he dumped me for."

"He's seeing someone new?" Justin frowned as he thought over the last month or so. Granted he'd been busy touring, but he'd talked to at least one or two of the guys every day and he was sure he was up on all the gossip. "He hasn't said anything. Not that I've heard about."

Chris snorted. "Probably waiting for me to get over him before he introduces us to the love of his life. That's probably why he's watching me all the time, he's checking to see if I'm ready yet."

Justin could not remember any time that Lance had ever been able to hide who he was in love with. Sex yes, Lance was a master of hiding his sex life. Had to be, what with how active he was and how in the closet. But love he could never hide, not from them. Hell, everyone, except Chris of course, had always been painfully aware of the times he was in love with Chris. And this sure looked like one of those times.

Unfortunately, Justin had promised Lance years ago, on pain of really painful things the details of which he was very relieved to have blocked from conscious memory, never to so much hint at Chris that Lance had real feelings for him. So instead of saying what he really thought, if he could even manage to explain something so complex in this state, he said "He's not that great at hiding when he's happy, man. Not with us."

"Well, I'm sure he's told Joey all about it. But I ain't asking Joey. He keeps giving me the look of death, like it's my fault that Lance feels guilty for dumping me."   
Chris rolled over and used Justin's arm to pull himself upright. "Fuck this girly talking shit, dude. Ima go to bed." 

Justin noticed that he took the rest of the vodka with him. 'Definitely a break-up bender' he thought to himself.

 

Out in the hall, Joey and JC fell silent when Chris came out. 

"Which room should I take, C" he asked, waving his nearly empty vodka bottle.

"Well, Lance is in the one at the end of the hall."

"Then I guess I'll take this one." Chris started to open the nearest door. Since it was a closet, he closed it, and opened the next one. 

"Chris is being noble by not taking advantage of Lance when he's stoned." JC agreed. "We all know how he gets." 

"Stage 4, huh?" Chris asked, looking wistful.

"Yeah, I barely got away with my heterosexuality intact." Joey was proud he could say such a long word in his state, though the conversation was sobering him up pretty fast.

Chris paused in the doorway, looking down at his feet. "I really miss him, you know. But I'm not gonna do anything he'd regret in the morning." He shut the door behind him without turning on the light in the room.

Joey couldn't quite figure that out. Lance declared his feelings. Chris walked on him. Now Chris is saying Lance would regret it if they fucked? He sighed. "I'm glad I'm straight, man. I know how to deal with women. This guy-guy thing is just fucked up."

JC's high-pitched giggle lasted all the way back to the master bedroom.

~~~~

When they got back into JC's room, Justin was cleaning up the party debris.

"Can't you leave it till morning, Anal Boy?" Joey asked.

Justin ignored him, still trying to figure out what was going on. Lance seemed even more upset than Chris. Certainly not like someone hiding a new happy love affair. Of course, as far as he knew he'd never seen Lance in a happy relationship, but he doubted that it would manifest in bloodshot eyes and deep sighs. Not even Lance could be that contrary.

Dropping the last of the empty paper cups into the trash -¾ JC, though thrifty, did not like doing dishes with a hangover ¾ Justin turned to Joey.

"Hey Joe, what's up with Lance? Is he alright?"  
Joey scowled. "What, doesn't Chris talk to you anymore?"

"Chris is being a freak. He makes no sense. He says he never dated Lance, but then he says lance dumped him, and ..."

"No way!" Joey cut him off. "Where does he get off saying that. I'm gonna slap the little gnome."

JC put an arm around Joey, and Justin relaxed a bit. Physical contact usually calmed Joe down, especially if it were Lance or JC. "No taking sides here, man. Sit down, both of you."

Justin sat immediately, right on the floor. Years of conditioning meant he couldn't disobey JC when he spoke in that tone.

Joey hesitated, but then sat on the edge of the bed. 

JC sat on the chaise where he could face them both. "Ok, Joe first. Tell us what Lance told you about this breakup or whatever."

"Lance finally got up the nerve to tell Chris we wanted a real relationship. He set up this whole romantic thing in a hotel, flowers and candle and shit. Then when Chris showed up, and Lance started talking, the asshole just walked out on him. Said some shit about it never meant anything real, no hard feelings. Broke Lance's fucking heart. Now he won't talk to Lance at all, and Lance is just trying to hold it together for the group."

"Arrgh. Chris is smoking fucking crack or something." Justin could not believe his best friend could be so stupid. Wait a minute. Chris. Of course he could. The one thing he was always stupid about was letting someone care about him. "He said that he's been thinking that maybe they should try for real this time. But when he was ready to day something, Lance started in on one of his speeches. Something about growing up, and no more buddy-fucks, and now he was in love with someone. And you know Chris, he doesn't like to hear bad news. So he took off before Lance could say who he was in love with. I think..."

"No." JC stopped him. "Facts first, from both of you; then we can think. Did he say anything else?" 

"Not really. Just that he's sure that Lance is all torn up with guilt, and just waiting for Chris to move on before he can introduce us all to the love of his life." Justin kept an eye on Joey as he talked, ready to duck if he went off the handle again.

JC thought for a moment, then grinned and spread his arms. "I know what happened!" He said with delight. 

Justin looked him over, checking for signs of insanity. Nope, just stoned.

JC continued. "Ok, so Lance is all saying he loves Chris, but he's saying it like Lance. You know, all careful and metaphors and just. Slippery Lance talk. And Chris. He's all scared, and expecting bad stuff all the time. So he hears everything backwards. Thinks Lance is saying he's in love with someone else. Lance is. Not Chris. In love. Not with Chris, except he is, but Chris doesn't think so. And he's Chris, right? Always has to do what's best for the group, never himself. So he says they're still friends. And then Lance, he's always feeling rejected, always. So he thinks Chris doesn't want him. And he's Lance, so once he thinks that he'll never ever ever ask Chris again." This speech was accompanied by many expansive hand gestures, though Justin thought it might be easier to follow without the visual aids. Or if at least one of them were sober, maybe.

"What the fuck is wrong with that man?" Joey asked. "Is he blind? Lance has been in love with him since Germany."

"I thought it was just a crush back then." JC frowned. "I asked Lance if he was in love, and he said of course not, that it was just friendly messing around stuff."

"Of course he said that. Chris fed him that line every time they hooked up." Joey just sounded tired now. "Even after Dani. When Lance dropped his boyfriend, so he could help Chris get over her. Chris just kept saying they were just friends, just fucking."

"He told Larry King they were dating." Justin said. He was trying to reconstruct his memory of that time to take into account this new information, but it kept slipping away. He was too stoned for this. 

They lay in silence a while more. Then JC sighed deeply and stretched. "I think we sleep now. You guys want to stay in here, or in guest rooms?"

Justin looked at the bed and saw that Joey was already sprawled out. "I've got a car coming to take me to the airport." He looked at his watch. "In about three hours. Fuck. I probably should go to a guest room so I can set the alarm and not wake you up, man."

"Ok then. Lance is at the end of the hall, and Chris is in the room you usually take. So, maybe, the one with the yellow? Cause I know you don't want the pink one."

Justin sighed. "You and your freaky-ass color-coded guest rooms. I'll call you when I land in wherever the hell I'm going."

"No, at least wake me up to say goodbye when you leave."

Justin smiled fondly. JC hated it when people left while he was sleeping. Said it made it seem like they were sneaking away. Luckily he slept lightly, and really didn't wind being wakened. "Kay then. You two gonna talk to the freak and his boy tomorrow?"

"I dunno. We'll see what they're like. Might be better to hit them when they've recovered." JC was curled around Joey by now, yawning as he spoke. Justin leaned over and kissed each of them on the cheek before heading out to find the yellow room.

~~~~

Joey regained consciousness rather unwillingly. It had been a while since he'd stayed up all night drinking and smoking out, and his body didn't thank him for it. He sat up, dislodging the body that was wound around his, and looked around for a clock. Instead, he found fish. Everywhere he looked. He groaned.

JC sat up, rubbing his eyes, and Joey smiled weakly at him.

"You look green, dude." JC commented with a yawn. "Too old for partying, huh?"

"Just out of practice. Being a responsible adult does that to a man." Joey hauled his ass out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

"Come one down to the kitchen when you're done, man. Coffee and donuts." JC called through the door.

In the kitchen, Joey stared, blinking. This was not coffee and donuts, it was… something else. Something very JC. It looked like a bakery had exploded on the kitchen island. Lance was standing at one end, picking thorough a huge bowl of cut fruit.

"JC? Why would five men need seven different types of juice?" Joey asked. "Wait, Justin's gone. Four men."

"You need to replace fluids after a night like that. So there's orange juice, with pulp for Lance and without for me." JC pointed to the pitchers as he spoke. "And cranberry, because it's got lots of antioxidants. And wheat grass, and grapefruit, and apple juice, and that tropical mixed stuff you like."

"Coffee?" asked Chris, stumbling into the room. JC pointed at the gleaming expresso machine on the other counter.

"JC, you are a god." Chris cackled evilly as he filled a mug that was possibly larger than his own head.

Joey didn't want to provoke the fierce Chris-beast by competing for the coffee, so he poured himself a glass of the tropical fruit mix before choosing a few donuts.

He sat down at the table and Lance joined him. He was not surprised that Lance's plate held only fruit, but he was shocked when Chris sat down with half fruit and half donuts. "What's with the fruit salad, Kirkpatrick?"

"Getting too old to eat nothing but sugar. Besides, I need to be in shape for Challenge."

Lance smiled sleepily at Chris, pointing at his enormous coffee cup. "Now if we could just get you to cut down on the caffeine-" 

"Blasphemy!" Chris cried, shrinking away from Lance and cradling his mug protectively. "You must not take the name of coffee in vain!"

Lance just shook his head fondly, and returned to his breakfast.

JC sat down. His plate held half a grapefruit and a chocolate éclair with cream spilling out the ends. His glass looked like he'd mixed most of the juices together.

"Chocolate and grapefruit, C?"

"Two great tastes that taste great together." JC giggled before starting in on the grapefruit.

"Somehow, I don't see that succeeding as a candy." Lance observed dryly.

Joey knew that Chris had to disagree with Lance, as a matter of principle. Sure enough, Chris delivered. "I don't know. You can get that chocolate orange stuff, maybe people would go for chocolate grapefruit. Like little squares of chocolate and when you bite them the grapefruit stuff is all thick inside."

Lance wrinkled his nose, and rather pointedly took the grapefruit off his own plate, wrapping it in a napkin and setting it to one side. "I'll never eat grapefruit again, freak."

"Cool. More for me!" Chris said as he unwrapped the rejected fruit and began to eat it.

~~~~

JC felt incredible happy as they ate. Here was his family, eating and joking and insulting one another. Sure, one of them was on a plane heading away from them, but he was there in spirit. Everything was golden. 

He looked at Lance, who seemed unaware that he was leaning towards Chris like a plant towards the sun. At Chris, who was touching Lance far more often than necessary. And then at Joey, who met his gaze and nodded. JC stood.

"Everyone done? Great!" JC said. "If you'll all follow me into the living room, we can get serious."

Chris leapt from his chair, pointing accusingly at JC. "Is this a meeting? You didn't say anything about a meeting. You've brought us here under false pretenses!" 

"Not a meeting, goofus. Just need to clear the air." Joey said, hooking an arm around Chris's neck to pull him into the other room.

When they were all seated ¾ and JC had to bite his tongue to keep from commenting on the way Lance and Chris sat sideways on the couch, their bare feet touching in the middle¾JC realized he had no idea how to start this. He looked a Joey, hoping for help, but Joe just shrugged and raised an eyebrow.

JC was on his own to get this started. OK then, start with the slightly more rational one. "Lance, Chris said you told him you're in love. Why haven't I heard about this?"

Lance flinched as though he'd been hit. He looked up at Chris, and JC realized he hadn't seen Lance that hurt in years. "Turning me down and walking out wasn't enough, now you're gossiping about it. Classy, Kirkpatrick. Fucking classy."

"What the hell?" Chris pulled his feet away from Lance's. "The only person I talked to was Justin last night. And I didn't tell him who you were in love with, since you never told me. What the fuck's the big deal, anyway? You found someone, so we're off again. Now you're moping around looking at me like I ran over your dog, and Joey's pissed at me, and I'm just…" Chris covered his face with his hands, obviously trying to control himself.

"What do you mean? Never told you who I'm in love with? Is that a joke?" Lance got to his feet, and looked like he was trying to laugh, cry, and maybe sing all at once. JC watched his face as he spoke and heard the beginnings of a new song growing within him. "I didn't. That's. Chris. I'm in love with you, fuckhead. I was trying to ask you if we could be serious, stop with the casual and get together for real. And you walked out while I was talking."

Chris' jaw dropped, and he sat blinking. 

"You two." Joey shook his head in disbelief. "I swear you need an interpreter sometimes." 

Chris looked a little panicked. "But what about the group, guys. We said way back that pairing off was a bad idea."

"Yeah, well we also said one of us getting married would be bad, too." Joey said. "And I let that be my excuse for a long time. I don't want us to fuck up their chance at happiness."

JC sighed. "Lance, Chris, you guys are no good with words. Lance, take his hand." Lance obeyed. "Kiss him."

"I don't wanna see that." Joey whined. JC smiled. He didn't think Joey really minded, but with Justin gone someone had to say it.

Ignoring him, Lance bent and cupped Chris' chin for a kiss. They kissed softly, until Chris reached up and pulled Lance onto his lap. Then they heightened the kiss, and Joey probably really was uncomfortable now.

Sure enough, he spoke. "Ok, that's enough PDA for one day. Now take him upstairs and show him what you think of him."

Chris grinned at Joey, then kissed Lance one last time. He pushed Lance to the side of the couch, crying "Last one there's on the bottom!" as he ran up the stairs.

Lance got up very casually, taking his own sweet time. And JC noticed, adjusting his pants a bit.

"Aren't you gonna run after him?"

"Are you kidding? It's been a month. No way I'm letting him bottom."

"TMI, Bass." Joey made a face, and JC laughed at him. 

As Lance disappeared up the stairs, a thought came through the music in JC's head. "Lance - not the white room, OK? Use the blue room."


End file.
